So let’s say you work at Valve and you have the glorious task of announcing the most anticipated game of the 21st century.
How would you announce it?
Would you make an ARG? or would you make an insane presentation with combine strippers at E3?
I want to hear your thoughts, go wild 
Just release it on Steam. Really quiet like. See if anyone notices.
Put the only copy available inside a backpack and leave it unattended in the middle of a busy airport.
Then they mistake it for a bomb and call the bomb disposal unit. The only copy of the game gets blown to pieces as you and Gaben maliciously smirk behind the crowd.
Hey I had my backpack stolen at an airport once you never know.
Well. Fair enough 
Have it pre-installed on Steam Machines.
Release it on a Steam sale, in a bundle, with some generic games getting top billing.
Steam Sale: Boring Games Bundle
Five Days to Die, Freedomwatchers, Roses are Red, ftc.1090, Presto Chango, Half-Life 3
haha! brilliant!
I’d give it to a famous youtube “Let’s Play” guy or girl and tell them to name the video like it was some joke HL3 mod. Then they’d start it, play thru the first bit, and then say "oh yes, this is the real deal. It was given to me by (insert name) and it will be available (insert date). It’s here people. It’s here.
Orr I’d make a really really vague commercial that’s super dramatic, panning over a scene similar to the cake scene at the end of portal, ending on a tall metal cylinder that opens up to faintly reveal the HEV Suit and then cuts to black with “coming (insert date)”
The idea of just releasing it on steam suddenly and not making it a big deal would be good too.
I would release it as a sole physical copy that has to be played in Windows 95.
Alternatively, I would release it with a bouquet of roses and some chocolate, along with a note saying: “we’re sorry”.
Have Gabe come out on stage with a big screen (that’s not displaying anything) behind him and do not say anything for exactly 180 seconds (just stand there and look around at the audience). Complete silence.
Then, as soon as the 180 seconds are up, walk off stage and have the big screen display the number 3 with the song “Hazardous Environments” playing.
I’m glad I saw this, I actually thought this through long ago.
Before the trailer is revealed, Valve will hint at or openly mention Left 4 Dead at a gaming convention, then leave the stage briefly while a trailer appears on screen.
The trailer is ambiguously titled, only listing a “3” and nothing more. The narration opens up "It was so many years ago, they took our planet from us, they took our homes, our families, our lives… But I will never become one of them." During this narration, the camera will pan through scenes of destroyed cities, wrecked military vehicles, abandoned countrysides, and the like. After the narration ends, we are shown a small dilapidated cabin room in which 4 people stand around a table full of weapons, ammo, and supplies. They’re speaking about their plans, to escape or attack, when the leader shushes them. “Hunter” he says softly, everyone looks uneasy, one person reaches for a gun but he brushes their hand away “No noise”. We hear some growling and shuffling outside, and the group look even more concerned. “Go away…” one grits under their breath. Everyone jumps as the metal door starts banging “Oh no…” one mutters, then the banging stops, and a piercing shriek is heard from outside.
Then BOOM, a Combine Hunter bursts through the door as a crushed fast zombie is dropped to the floor in front of it. Cries of “IT FOUND US” and "HUNTER!"ring out as the 4 scramble for their weapons open fire. The Hunter immediately impales the closest survivor, then sprays down another with its flechettes before charging the third and smashing him into the wall. The last man flees through a side door and out through an old horse stable, but before he can escape the Hunter drops down infront of the exit from the roof. The man slips and falls into his back, screaming as he turns to crawl away, but it’s too late, the hunter drags him off camera and “HλLF-LIFE 3” flashes over the screen.
The End.
^ YES YES AND MORE YES
I wouldn’t. It’d just show up on the front page of Steam one day with the words “Now Available”.
Mr. Someguy
You’re scenario for the teaser/trailer is freaking awesome!
But, where is Gordon Freeman?
I say, here’s a bit changed ending in your trailer.
When the Hunter jumps the guy, and he starts to crawl back, the Hunter slowly moves towards him.
Then, a camera positioned down on the ground looking the Hunter from behind 20 feet away, Gordon takes a step into
the camera view with his right leg…and then a Freaking, Heavily used and Bent Crowbar is lowered down in the middle of the screen,
as the Hunter turns around and the survivor runs away.
Then BAM, Half-Life 3 logo, Steam, Valve and others stuff roles through at the end
as every Half-Life fan gets a cerebral abscess.(Brain damage in general).
That’s the way i see Gordon in a new HL trailer.
If I worked at valve, I would personally replace the valve website with a giant fricken 3[/size]
This is beautiful, but I think it would hit heavier if the door slammed open revealing the Hunter and Fast Zombie, then the Hunter slumps forward and collapses, dead, with a Crowbar firmly planted in the side of it’s head. Then there’s an orange zap and the crowbar flashes away to the side, in the style of retrieving the sawblades in HL2.
A Miraclee…
You can dead in peace,
You can dream again…
Half Life 3…
A Miracle…oh God…
Let us thank to Gman
Ohhh Miraclee
I don’t think it would matter how it was announced as long as Hazardous Environments interrupted something else to begin the announcement. Lights flicker off, Hazardous Environments, Gaben.
Founded in 2004, Leakfree.org became one of the first online communities dedicated to Valve’s Source engine development. It is more famously known for the formation of Black Mesa: Source under the 'Leakfree Modification Team' handle in September 2004.